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Kung Fu Panda 4: The Vessel of Fire
Kung Fu Panda 4: The Vessel of Fire is a 2025 computer-animated wuxia film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the fourth installment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, and the sequel to 2016's Kung Fu Panda 3. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Jennifer Yuh Nelson, and written by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, James Hong and Jackie Chan reprise their roles from the previous films with Danny McBride, Michelle Yeoh, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claud Van Damme and Randall Duk Kim reprising their roles of Wolf Boss, The Soothsayer, Storming Ox, Croc and Master Oogway also from the previous films. They are joined by Jim Sturgess, Forest Whitaker, Jeremy Irons, Gerard Butler and Zoe Saldana in the roles of Liu, Chow, Minister Zhao, Kang and Fan respectively. Also, Stephen Root reprises his character Junjie from the television series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. The film takes place four years after the events of the third film, and features Po dealing with new responsabilities as Supreme Master, while embarking on a journey with Tigress, a white tiger named Liu and a black swordsman cat named Chow, to find the legendary "Vessel of Fire", which contains the power of the sacred beast known as Phoenix. In their journey to find this legendary object, they will have to face a new supernatural threat known as "The Crow", a devilish and poweful demonic entity which seeks the Vessel for himself, at the same time that they have to prevent the beginning of a great war, led by the mischievous Minister Zhao, which could extinguish the masters and the legacy of Kung Fu from China forever. This new installment in the franchise deviates from the comedic tone and spirit of the first three, presenting a more darker, serious and complex story. It premiered on March 20, 2025, in Los Angeles and, unlike its predecessors, it received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the animation, musical score, action scenes and humor, while others critiziced the convoluted plot and pacing issues. It is the most expensive animated movie to date, with a budget of $300 million, and also the longest animated movie ever made, with a three-hours lenght. Plot Synopsis These are times of change for China. Spring season is coming, and Kung Fu has just received its new "Supreme Master", the Dragon Warrior, in which lies the responsability of guiding and molding a new generation of heroes towards a new dawn, as the old and cracked way of the Old Masters comes to an end. Meanwhile, the nation faces a crisis in the face of the fall of the Long Dinasty after the death of the Emperor. '' ''In a constantly changing world, a great war is approaching that will determine the course of the nation, and the destiny of Kung Fu, forever. Cast * Jack Black as Po * Angelina Jolie as Tigress * Jim Sturgess as Liu * Forest Whitaker as Chow * Jeremy Irons as Prime Minister Zhao/The Crow * Gerald Butler as Kang, Leader of The Zou Liu Clan * Zoe Saldana as Fan, Chow's cousin * Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu * Stephen Root as Junjie * Bryan Cranston as Li Shan * Danny McBride as Wolf Boss * Lucy Liu as Viper * Jackie Chan as Monkey * Seth Rogen as Mantis * David Cross as Crane * James Hong as Mr. Ping * Kate Hudson as Mei Mei * Wayne Knight as Hom-Lee * Michelle Yeoh as The Soothsayer * Randall Duk Kim as Master Oogway